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GEORGE Hnnrvoilnslgonivnwronii, N. assienoii rro; cALiiB BA t L "1). D." saneren, c

.spebification of Letters Patent No.

, Be it known that I, Gnoncn Riiifivonns,

i of `New York, county of New York, and

` State of NewYork, have invented certain `the employment of the new and useful Improvements in `the Valves of Rotary Engines;` and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being made to the annexed drawing, making a part of `this specification, in which- Figure I is an end view or elevation `partly in section. Fig. II is a sectional view of a part in detail. i l i c 1 Similar `letters indicate similan parts throughout the figures. i r

My invention of improvements in rotary steam engines has for its object the securing of the advantages and economy arising from principle of `expansion in steam engines. In the rotary form this has heretofore proved difficult of accom-` plishment in` such a simple and eifective manner c as in engines upon `thef reciprocating principle. In order to get the highest eiect 1 .i of this mode of applying steam in those engines, it is well known that the cut-off should be made as close to the cylinder ports as possible, and in my improvement upon the rotary engine I am enabled toaccomplish the same equallywell. c c y i l c My invention consists in so constructing and applying the valve that it will effect the cutoff and at the same time permit of the reversing of the engine, andthe application of the steam at full stroke whenso reversed without requiring that the cut-off be in anyway uncoupled from its driving mechanism.

In the following specification I shall describe the improvements as applied to the rotary engine patented to Ebenezer Barrows of the seventh February 1854. In Figure I at A is shown a cylinder on the rotary principle, the interior construction of which is upon the plan of said Barrows. The steam and eduction passages, instead of being eX- ternal pipes, are cast within the solid shell of the cylinder itself, the steam induction passage being seen at (a) while the exhaust is shown in dotted lines at (b). Inclosing these are two steam chests (c) and (c), situated upon opposite sides of the steam drum A as shown. There are two steam ports leading from this chest into the drum A as shown at the letters (d) and (e) between 26,400', daten neeihbe which on the inside (i) ttns` gaillstthe.. as seen in the aforesaid and between whichya haust opening l is placed `both the re t ont off. The. firs section, and in diff in.` Figs. Iand II.` blance in constructi valve of tlie recipro ever does not `opera` inannerfand `is not fo,

since `it remains c always1 r the moment `of reversin c exhaust steam passes to theeXha-ust ort c acavity1(b) beneath, as intheD ve bu the direct steainto the two differently; to one `po enters by an opening seen `at (01')` Fig.` I, wl other port (ef), the` removingthe end of th t q Fig. AII. The stem (lef) orf" this valve pa t to` theoutsideof thestea-m chSt through stuing boxV as usnal. T se reversing valves i in the two cheststc) n d by links, as seenI in Fi is pulled' down (16) u be pushed upbeca c c, valve is reversed` on tl o reason thatl both` sets c, c become steam `or eXha to the position of they` c i inl Fig. I is shown` as acting as a lst while that` hich corresponds in the p chest td); willb (ce) in (0"),.iisfa ste y that in (c),` it is ac Theposition otvalve 1 .t

(0') will be reversed so that the passage (ol) through it will operate upon the "lower port (e). c 1` The cut o' consists of a valvettedto slide upon the back of the reversing one and" is seen at4 0). It is aplatefextending ther length of (7c), or so as to beable to cover the slot, `or aperture (di).` In (0) there is also a slotted' opening of like dimension j with (d) as'seen at" (0'). This valve is 19.5" caused to move `upon Us) so'as to effect the l alternate opening and closing of the passage (cl) when (le) is set orthe forward motion c of the engine, inwhich position itlisrepre` .uff sented in Fig; I. t The eut 0E valve (o) isllcf worked by a pair of links extending from two arms (p) upon a rock-shaft and within the steam-chest Fig. II, and these again are moved by cranks p, outside of said chests, andas shown in Fig. I. It will be seen that their valves are lworked from a pinion (1*) driven by a spur wheel upon the Vmain shaft of the engine, the pinion being of a size to revolve twice to one revolution of the wheel. The reason of this is that there are four pistons inthe drum requiring that the steam be out off four times, to each revolution, each stroke of the valve cutting off twice, the face on each side of the aperture crossing the opening (d) in a complete revolution of the pinion (r). There is a means provided to make the cut off variable. In the face of the pinion (1') is a groove (r) in which the crank pin carrying the connecting rod (s) may be slipped ralong and clamped in any position within the circumference. When therefore this pin is set over the center'of (r) of course no motion whatever is imparted to they cut olf valve, consequently the steam passes in for the full stroke, the degree of expansion being thereafter regulated by the throw of said valve. The operation will then be as follows: Steam flowing in through B passes by the arched channel va.y v(a) into each of the chests (c) and land A lioving the startinglever (t) 'the va ves (75)v will be moved to uncover the steam ports according as the engine is to go forward or back. In Fig. I it is in position for going forward. The steam passes through first the aperture in the Vcut off valve (o) then through that of the valve (le) into the cylinder above the abutment block thus propellingV the piston in the direction indicated. The steam in the other chest enters in llike manner but through a port on the lower side of the abutment-block, and exhausts through. the fellow-of- (e) las seen in the section Fig. I.

When the engine is to be stopped the starting bar (t) is moved until the lap of the valve (lc) covers both ports (e) and (d). If now it be desired to reverse the piston, the starting bar is moved still farther in the same direction and until (la) is in the I position seen' in Fig. II. The lower end of the valve will then be seen to have uncovered the port (e) to theY steam chest while (ci) 1s 1n communication with the exhaust (b) through (6). It will alsobe seen that although the c ut off still continues to move as before upon the back of the starting and reversing valve it does not affect the action of the steam which flows uninterruptedly through (e) and ofcourse acts throughout the stroke upon the pistons. The operations of starting, whether' forward Vor back, and of stopping, are accomplished by the simple movement of the bar (t) while the Cut off comes-into play of itself immediately on putting the valve (k) into position for the forward motion. Y'

I have described the cutoff as acting only on the forward motion of the engine, and this because it would as a general thing only bev thus needed. There areV however situations where the ability-to cut off upon both ports would be advamtageoua'as-inf the case of applying these engines to propel a ferryboat. To be able to'perform this it would only be necessary to extend the valve so as to have another aperture -like (d) to cover the port (e) and attach another cutoff valve similar to (o), or extend that one in like manner, but when made as a cut off for both ports the crank pin in (s) would have to be transferred to the opposite side of the pinion (1'), or-else each cut off be driven by separate gear.

I claim-V Y The arrangement within each steam'chest of a rotary engine, of the starting and reversing valveA -having the cut off valve in combination therewith, lthe two being -so coupled and operating that the starting or reversing may be effected without coupling or uncoupling any of theA connecting parts, substantially 'in the manner set forth. In testimony whereofV I have hereunto subscribed my name. f

' K GEO, REYNOLDS. f

Witnesses:

I. I. PINssoN, S. I-I. MAYNARD. 

